How to Plan a Trip to Dubai

Your guide to the City of Gold.

By
Jim Berleley, Destinations & Adventures

Oct 5, 2016

GETTY IMAGES

This itinerary is part of the Town & Country Grand Tour, which takes you around the world in 170 days. Each leg of the trip was organized and written by a different travel specialist. The following guide was created by Jim Berkeley of Destinations & Adventures International. For more information on how to book, contact jim@daitravel.com, 800-659-4599.

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Day One

Arrive Dubai International Airport where you are met and immediately transferred to the VIP Lounge with Gold Marhaba Welcome Services!

You are whisked by private helicopter from the airport to your hotel with a Bird's Eye View of amazing Dubai on your way to landing on the aerial helicopter pad at top of the Burj al Arab Jumeira Hotel!

The distinctive sail-shaped silhouette of Burj Al Arab Jumeirah is more than just a stunning hotel…it is a symbol of modern Dubai. Yet for all the wonder this stunning structure provides when you finally see it in person, it is the service within that really makes the Burj Al Arab Jumeirah so extraordinary. Repeatedly voted the world's most luxurious hotel, this magnificent destination offers you the finest service and facilities throughout - right down to an optional chauffeur-driven Rolls-Royce. Burj Al Arab Jumeirah's suite-only accommodation offers discreet check-in within your rooms, a private reception on every floor and a host of personal butlers, each a warm messenger of our unparalleled hospitality. A new-look Al Mahara is set to open in October 2016, under the culinary patronage of multi award-winning English Chef Nathan Outlaw. The famous chef will bring his style of simple, yet superb seafood cooking to Burj Al Arab Jumeirah.

Dinner this evening is on your own at one of the many restaurant options at your hotel.

Day Two

Your professional Safari Guide will lead you on an early morning drive in an authentic, museum quality 1950's Land Rover, a vehicle which has played a pivotal role in the 1950's and since then have become part of the UAE history. No other vehicle offers a more authentic desert experience to spot exotic local wildlife. Discover what life was like inside the desert before modern developments, as you hear fascinating tales first-hand from a local Bedouin, all within the exclusive surrounds of a private Royal desert retreat. Learn local recipes handed down from generation to generation, before enjoying a scrumptious breakfast. This is a rare opportunity to glimpse into the rich history of the region, experience pristine desert, observe native wildlife, enjoy a stunning journey in a classic Land Rover and meet one of the original inhabitants of this land. If you are so inclined, take a try at camel racing (walking) across the dunes!

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Return to your hotel around midday. Take sometime to enjoy the amenities of your hotel before your next adventure!

Private seaplane flight-seeing around Dubai! This experience offers A Bird's Eye View of uninterrupted panoramas over the whole city, ensuring incomparable aerial photos of all the famous attractions.

Connect these two futuristic cities in luxurious style with an exclusive seaplane air tour from Dubai & Abu Dhabi. Start with a water take-off from Dubai Creek, then soar above Dubai's magnificent architecture before flying along the Arabian Gulf. Dubai's 21st century skyline is packed with global markers of engineering brilliance. The world's tallest buildings, a seven-star hotel, a map of the world made from artificial islands. Experiencing their scale and beauty is best from the air and this scenic tour has been meticulously designed to ensure lingering views of all the iconic Dubai landmarks. Your seaplane glides above the Palm Jumeirah and The World, providing a bird's-eye view of Dubai's artificial islands. It cruises beside the Burj Khalifa, enabling a wonderful impression of how this building stands above Dubai's other skyscrapers. Soar along the Arabian Gulf for sublime views of the Burj Al Arab, then head over the historic sights that are packed into downtown Dubai. Soon, the urban landscape filters out, transformed into a seductive expanse of dusty desert. Admire the desert's mirage and appreciate the ancient roots of the land, including majestic views over distant sand dunes. The seaplane dramatically skirts along the Arabian Gulf, meaning sublime ocean views from the luxurious onboard seats. Finally, the glimmering treasure of Abu Dhabi come into sight as you do a final swoosh over its amazing skyline. It's not just a Dubai aerial tour, it's an aerial tour that incorporates the dream of the two cities.

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Before you return to Dubai, pass by the amazing Sheikh Zayed Mosque for a visit and to appreciate its most impressive and beautiful architecture. With more than 80 marble domes supported by more than 1000 pillars capped by four massive 350-ft high minarets, Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is a masterpiece of modern Islamic design and architecture. It can accommodate more than 41,000 worshippers, and is one of the few mosques in the region open to non-Muslims. Over 100,000 tons of pure white Greek and Macedonian marble was used in its construction. Delicate floral designs inlaid with semi-precious stones, such as lapis lazuli, red agate, amethyst, abalone, jasper and mother-of-pearl, decorate a variety of marbles and contrast with the more traditional geometric ceramic details.

End your day, and your Bird' Eye View of Dubai with an ascent to Floor #148 of the world's tallest building, the Burj Khalifa!

Dinner this evening at your hotel is an a la carte gastronomical extravaganza as you are feted to a 5-course gourmet dinner at Al Muntaha Restaurant. Arabic for 'The Ultimate' or 'The Top', Al Muntaha is a restaurant that lives up to its name. See Dubai stretched out in all its glory from the 27th floor, where stunning views are matched only by the sumptuous menu.

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